About the Bands at the Festival
AMPERSAND
Ampersand are a local trio that play original jazz and some standards, tinged with funk and blues. Brett Holland - Guitar/Vocals/Composer, Fraser Campbell - Bass, Tony Bowater - Drums
Boogie Train
I hear a Train a-comin’.. The mighty New Zealand Boogie Train is steaming back into sunny Nelson for a long overdue one-off performance for The Nelson Jazz Festival on Friday 3rd Jan. Reuniting specially to help shunt in 2025 with this whistle-stop boiler-bender of an occasion, the full Boogie crew is brewing up a huge head of steam for their first Jazz Festival headline show in nearly four years.
Dirty Boots Roebuck - Vox & Harp, Junior Olsen - Geetars, Farouk Bishop - Bass & Vox, Mojo McGregor - Drums, Sissmo Sissons - Sound Magic. Smashing out the absolute best of The Blues & Beyond from some of the greatest artists of the last century, and a few absolute bangers from this one; a Boogie Train live show is guaranteed to put your soul train back on the right track.. ALL ABOARD!
Brazilian Social Club
Brazilian Social Club is a vibrant and exciting musical group based in Nelson that brings the rich and diverse sounds of Brazilian music to audiences across the region. This talented collective of musicians has quickly established itself as one of the most dynamic and engaging bands in the local music scene, thanks to their electrifying live performances and infectious rhythms.
Led by visionary Bahian singer/guitarist Marcio Molinari, Brazilian Social Club draws on a wide range of Brazilian musical traditions, including samba, bossa nova, forró, and xote, to create a sound that is both timeless and contemporary.
The COLETTE JANSEN TRIO
The COLETTE JANSEN TRIO deliver modern stylings of contemporary music with a tastefully soulful blend of rhythm ‘n blues, pop, jazz, grooves and bright beats.
Colette Jansen’s vocals have been described as expressive, warm and smooth, but she’s also been known to pump out a mean blues along with some riffs on her harmonica. Barry Korcheski (keyboard, Hammond organ) has performed in Canada, the United States, Australia, New Zealand and on several cruise ships including the original "Love Boat". Alan Burden (drums, percussion) plays a variety of drum and percussion instruments in several genres. His preferred style is jazz on the drum kit.
Dixie Swing Band
The Dixie Swing band was formed at the end of 2019 and began playing regularly at The Honest Lawyer on Sunday afternoons.
The band plays a mix of traditional jazz from the early 1900’s to the swing style music of the 1930’s and onwards.
Jane and Francis
Jane Baken on Vocals and Francis Meria on Keys, this dynamic duo play everything from jazz standards to pop and rock in their own unique and entertaining piano bar style.
Nelson Jazz Club Big Band
The Nelson Jazz Club Big Band is styled after the great bands of the Forties and Fifties.A traditional stage band that plays syncopated written arrangements with improvised interludes. Most people will be familiar with Glenn Miller, Benny Goodman, Count Basie and Duke Ellington, but Big Bands have been popular since the dawn of jazz and show no sign of losing their appeal, with new arrangements of contemporary music appearing all the time.
Rinholio
Original blues, rock, funk, reggae written by Darrin Andrews on guitar and vocals, with Stephen Rance on bass & Dale Ching on Drums.
Riwaka High Rollers
The Riwaka High Rollers are a new four piece band playing soul, RnB, reggae and Latin/world music vibes with a mix of covers and originals All seasoned musicians featuring Nathan Torvik on guitar, Steve Rance on Bass, Craig Denham on piano, accordion and vocals and Steve Welch on Drums. Funky, fresh and firing on all cylinders. Expect listenable, danceable, improvisational, musical goodness with soul!
Sun City Soul
Sun City Soul is Nelson’s favourite soul band! Punching out classic soul anthems by the likes of James Brown, Aretha Franklin, and Otis Redding, the 8-piece band features Dan Moon and Tessa Quayle on Vocals.
Tessa Quayle
Jazz vocalist Tessa Quayle has performed in major jazz festivals, Christmas Spectacular in the park and on the “Good Morning Show” TV1, and her debut album Whisper Not was nominated for Jazz album of the year in 2010. She now leads her quartet performing unique interpretations of classic standards ranging from swing to Latin.
West Coast Blues Band
Legendary guitarist Ivan Outram will be scaling the fretboard heights with his fine West Coast Blues Band.
We Three
We Three are made up of the musical talents of Trudi Wilson (vocals and keys) and Luke Wilkes (guitar) and Jim Boyden (percussion).
This jazzy, soulful and dynamic threesome has a special knack of taking modern songs and gracefully ageing them, plus grabbing older songs and giving them a new and fresh twist.
